Evolutionary Psychology (the podcast) Conspiracy Theories and Group Boundaries with Cristina Moya
Aug 5, 2025
Cristina Moya, an anthropology professor at UC Davis, dives into her research on ethnolinguistic group boundaries in Peru. She discusses why people cling to bizarre conspiracy beliefs and how these beliefs forge group loyalty. The conversation explores cultural evolution's impact on social dynamics, highlighting the intricacies of identity and group affiliation. Moya sheds light on the role of charisma in leadership and the importance of diverse perspectives in academia, linking these topics to greater understanding of human behavior and belonging.
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Three Complementary Evolutionary Traditions
- Evolutionary social sciences split into complementary traditions: evolutionary psychology, human behavioral ecology, and cultural evolution.
- These traditions emphasize different priors about the mind and different levels of analysis but can inform each other.
Priors Shape Competing Theories
- Key theoretical disagreement concerns how rich our innate priors are versus how much the mind is shaped by input.
- This prior debate underlies different expectations about psychology and cultural complexity.
Field Site Chosen For Practical Comfort
- Cristina chose a high-altitude Peruvian field site partly to avoid mosquitoes and for archaeological ties to UCLA.
- She works around 3,800 meters where environmental comfort influenced site choice.
